Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo beaten by American pop star in Google search rankings
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, two of the most important football players of all time, were beaten by American pop icon Taylor Swift in Google search rankings.
According to El Diario, Swift has surpassed both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo for popularity based on their search volumes on Google. The American star has an average of 46 points on Google Trends, and her most popular week came between July 9 and 15, 2023.
Ronaldo and Messi have enjoyed great popularity over the last decade and a half, as a result of their success on the pitch. However, as they enter the twilight of their careers, their popularity is clearly on the wane.
Messi averaged nine points for the search volume about him, a long way from Swift's tally. Ronaldo fares slightly better with 22 points. The drop in their popularity has been attributed by some to their recent departure from European football.
Swift is regarded as one of the most iconic musicians of the 21st century due to her incredible records. The American has sold over 200 million albums and has 12 Grammy awards to her name. She also has 101 Guinness World Records to her name.
Where are Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo playing now?
Lionel Messi, 36, and Cristiano Ronaldo, 38, have altered the history of football forever with their incredible performances. We have been privileged to watch two of the greatest players of all time compete directly against each other over the past two decades.
Messi and Ronaldo have a combined 12 Ballon d'Or awards between them - seven for the Argentine and five for the Portuguese forward.
Lionel Messi currently plies his trade in the MLS with David Beckham's Inter Miami. He moved from PSG this summer after the expiration of his contract with the Ligue 1 giants.
Cristiano Ronaldo, on the other hand, plays for Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr. He joined the Saudi Pro League club in January after his contract with Manchester United was terminated by the club last year.
Despite their age, both players steal captain their club and international sides and continue to put in excellent performances.